Falana steps in as Nigerian govs insist EFCC must be scraped

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are essential institutions that should remain operational in Nigeria.

His stance comes in response to the controversial calls from 16 governors across the country advocating for the scrapping of the anti-graft agency.

According to reports, these sixteen state governors have filed a suit challenging the legality of the laws that established the EFCC. The Supreme Court is set to hear the case on October 22, 2024. The states involved in the suit, which was originally filed by the Kogi State Government, include Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nassarawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross River, and Niger.

The governors argue that the Constitution is the supreme law, asserting that any laws inconsistent with it are null and void. However, Falana, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, advised the states to focus on measures that would ensure the EFCC operates independently of governmental influence, rather than attempting to abolish it.

“For me, the ICPC and the EFCC, like the Code of Conduct Tribunal, have come to stay. What we should be demanding are measures to make these institutions autonomous, not under the control of any government,” Falana asserted during the program.

He emphasized that the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the notion that the EFCC and ICPC are independent agencies tasked with combating economic and financial crimes in Nigeria. Falana’s remarks underscore the ongoing debate surrounding the role and governance of anti-corruption agencies in the country.